Legislative Alert: February 2019

Fellow Federationists:
We are encouraging you to send letters to members of the Maryland Assembly to support legislation concerning voting and regulating Dockless scooters. Please see information about the relevant bills below. Please write to the relevant Committee Chair and to the Senators and Delegates that cover your District/area, but please be sure to reference the specific bill in your messages (SB refers to Senate Bill and HB refers to House Bill). The email address for all senators is firstname.lastname@senate.state.md.us and for all delegates is firstname.lastname@house.state.md.us. If you are mailing a letter to a senator, the address is [Room Number and Building Name], 11 Bladen street, Annapolis, MD, 21401. If you are mailing a letter to a delegate, the address is [Room number], Lowe House Office Building, Annapolis, Maryland, 21041. If writing a hard copy letter, please include the building name and room number for senators and room number for delegates referenced below for your District/area.
Voting:
SB 363 and HB 565 are companion bills that require the State Board of Elections to create 1 voting system for all voters, starting with the primary election in 2022. This bill will restore the secret ballot to disabled voters because it will require everyone to use an electronic ballot marking device.
For SB 363:
- everyone regardless of district/area may write to Senator Paul Pinsky, Chairman of The Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee, Miller Senate Office Building, room 2W.
- If you live in Anne Arundel County, write to Senator Bryan Simonaire, 320 James Office Building.
- If you live in Baltimore City, write to Senator Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, note her email is Shirley.nathan.pulliam@senate.state.md.us. 2W Miller Senate Office Building.
- If you live in Baltimore County, write to Senators Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, note her email is Shirley.nathan.pulliam@senate.state.md.us. 2W Miller Senate Office Building; and Clarence Lam, thank him for sponsoring the bill, 420 Miller Senate Office Building.
- If you live in Charles County, write to Senator Arthur Ellis, 302 James Office Building.
- If you live in Fredrick County, write to Senator Ronald Young, 301 James Office Building.
- If you live in Howard County, write to Senator Clarence Lam, thank him for sponsoring the bill, 420 Miller Senate Office Building.
- If you live in Montgomery County, write to Senator Cheryl Kagan, 203 James Office Building.
- If you live in Prince George’s County, write to Senator Obie Patterson, 201 James Office Building.
- If you live in Saint Mary’s County, write to Senator Jack Bailey, 402 James Office Building.
For HB 565:
- everyone regardless of district/area may write to Delegate Anne Kaiser (room 131), Chairman of the House, Ways, and Means committee.
- If you live in Anne Arundel County, write to Delegate Alice Cain, room 151.
- If you live in Allegany County, write to Delegate Jason Buckel, room 309.
- If you live in Baltimore City, write to Delegate Nick Mosby and thank him for sponsoring the bill, room 205; and also write to Delegate Stephanie Smith room 316.
- If you live in Baltimore County, write to Delegates Joseph Boteler, room 319; Eric Ebersole, room 305; Jessica Feldmark, room 216; Michele Guyton, room 306; and Robert Long, room 325.
- If you live in Carrol County, write to Delegates April Rose, room 320; and Haven Shoemaker, room 320.
- If you live in Charles County, write to Delegate Edith Patterson, room 429.
- If you live in Howard County, write to Delegates Eric Ebersole, room 305; and Jessica Feldmark, room 216.
- If you live in Montgomery County, write to Delegates Eric Luedtke, room 350; Julie Palakovichcarr, room 221; and Jheanelle Wilkins, room 225.
- If you live in Prince George’s County, write to Delegates Darryl Barnes, room 363; Julian Ivey, room 217; Alonzo Washington, room 405; and Jay Walker, room 131.
Scooters:
SB 805 and HB 1243 are companion bills that require ridesharing companies who rent out e-scooters to provide tactile identification for blind persons on each scooter. The bill also requires companies to create and maintain accessible websites and apps. The blind should have the same information that the rest of the public has and should be able to communicate with the appropriate company. These scooters are dockless and operators leave them anywhere, frequently blocking building entrances, bus stops, sidewalks, etc. - For SB 805:
- everyone regardless of district/area may write to Senator Delores Kelley, Chairman, Finance Committee, Room 3E Miller.
- If you live in Anne Arundel County, write to senators Pamela Beidle, Room 202 James; and Edward Reilly, Room 316 James.
- If you live in Baltimore City, write to senator Antonio Hayes, Room 222 James.
- If you live in Baltimore County, write to senators J.B. Jennings, Room 423 James (Note: His email address is jb.jennings@senate.state.md.us); and Katherine Klausmeier, Room 123 James
- If you live in Montgomery County, write to senators Brian Feldman, Room 104 James; and Ben Kramer, Room 401 Miller.
- If you live in Prince George’s County, write to senators Malcolm Augustine, Room 3E Miller; and Joanne Benson, Room 214 James.
For HB 1243:
- everyone regardless of district/area may write to Delegate Kumar Barve, Chairman, Environment and Transportation Committee, Room 251.
- If you live in Anne Arundel County, write to Delegate Mary Lehman, Room 317.
- If you live in Baltimore City, write to Delegates Dalya Attar, room 317 (Thank her for sponsoring the bill); Regina Boyce, Room 316; Tony Bridges, Room 315; and Melissa Wells, Room 315.
- If you live in Baltimore County, write to Delegates Jay Jalisi, Room 412; Stephen Lafferty, Room 303; and Dana Stein, Room 251.
- If you live in Montgomery County, write to Delegates David Fraser-Hidalgo, Room 223 Note: His email address is david.fraser.hidalgo@house.state.md.us; Jim Gilchrist, Room 219; Sara Love, Room 210; and Vaughn Stewart, Room 220.
- If you live in Prince George’s County, write to Delegates Andrea Fletcher Harrison, Room 204 Note: Her email address is andreafletcher.harrison@house.state.md.us; Anne Healey, Room 361; Marvin Holmes, Room 364; and Mary Lehman, Room 317.
Thank you for your help with these important matters.